CCC23, S5: Bryan Wolfmueller - ”How It Ends”

The Christianity & Culture Conference of Spencer, IA

The Christianity & Culture Conference of Spencer, IA

July 7-8, 2023

"Competing Stories: God's v. the World's"

Speaker: The Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller

Session 5: How It Ends

Where are things headed? Is there reason for hope? Can things get better, or will the universe eventually die in the heat- death of thermodynamic necessity?

Feedback for Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller: [e-mail]

Podcast Feedback (Broken links, suggestions, etc): [e-mail]

Summary

• Reset, recap, and direction we’re going now:
• Premise: Everyone is living in a story with four chapters
• Got half-way through “The Fix” (chapter 3) yesterday; will do that, then conclude with chapter 4 today.
• “Where do you come from?” - Often thought of on an individual, local level; not cosmically
• How World thinks about the problems has this typical major answer: Problem is pain/suffering -> leads to Epicureanism & what is says are the two things which cause the most distress (Divine involvement; Eternity & Divine wrath)
• We receive bad days and good days from Christ’s hand with rejoicing because Jesus is Lord
• Satan likes to call God’s freedom slavery and slavery freedom
• Three slaveries (Belly, Despair, Pride) and three freedoms (Contrition of Sin, Faith, Joy of the brothers’ salvation - ?) of the Scriptures
• Seriousness (reverence) and joy belong together
• Happiness obtain not by the pursuit of it; but a symptom of pursuing God - The fix is the Scriptures and comes in 2 phases; The Crucifixion and The Ministry of Reconciliation
• During questions: Thankfulness v. Gratitude
• Starting the fourth chapter; start of next session will be on the character of hope

References

• Scripture: James 1:2; Romans 5:3-10, Matthew 5:10-12, 1 Peter 2:18-25, Isaiah 52:13-53:12, Job 1:1-2:9, 19:23-27; John 8:31-34; Romans 6:16; Luke 15:1-32; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21: https://https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A2%3B+Romans+5%3A3-10%3B+Matthew+5%3A10-12%3B+1+Peter+2%3A18-25%3B+Isaiah+52%3A13-53%3A12%3B+Job+1%3A1-2%3A9%2C+19%3A23-27%3B+John+8%3A31-34%3B+Romans+6%3A16%3B+Luke+15%3A1- 32%3B+2+Cor+5%3A17-21&version=ESV

• Rev. Wolfmueller: “I’m really interested in hearing your thoughts on what we’ve reflected on yesterday and today (about living in the four chapters)” - Here’s how to share your thoughts with Rev. Wolfmueller:
  • wolfmueller.co (“I couldn’t afford the ‘m’”): Contact button that will send an email to him
  • Or email him directly at [e-mail]
  • And, you can sign up for Rev. Wolfmueller’s weekly “What-Not” e- newsletter: https://wolfmueller.co/wednesday-what-not/
  • Or, get free books (e-editions, or you can purchase physical copies): https://wolfmueller.co/books/
  • “Holy Baptism: An Anthology” for free download or to order: https://wolfmueller.co/baptism/
• On Epicureanism: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Epicureanism/The-Epicurean-school
• A petition about suffering from The General Prayer (TLH, p. 23): All who are in trouble, want, sickness, anguish of labor, peril of death, or any other adversity, especially those who are suffering for Thy name’s sake and for Thy truth’s sake, comfort, O God, with Thy Holy Spirit, that they may receive and acknowledge their afflictions as the manifestation of Thy fatherly will (emphasis Rev. McGinley’s)
• “Job,” painting by Leon Bonnet, 1880 A.D.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:L%C3%A9on_Bonnat_-_Job.jpg
• Etymology of Islam: https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=Islam
• Etymology of Muslim: https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=Muslim
• Luther on Discerning Forgiveness Won and Forgiveness Delivered: https://wolfmueller.co/martin-luther-forgiveness-won-forgiveness-delivered/

Clarification

16:47: Euthanasia legislation in Iowa has been brought up and voted down, but keeps returning

1:02:54 (question 1): On Epicures’ two stressors - his two stressors are the only things that actually comfort us

1:04:55 (question 2): “What is your definition of evil since we’re putting that on God?”

1:06:10: The late Rev. Al Henderson’s wife speaks of the suffering of losing her husband and Christ’s victory in that suffering and death; “Not all blessings are easy”; blessings do come in suffering

1:10:34 (question 3): The world uses experience as the arbiter between good and evil, where the Christian by faith is brought to the understanding of God’s Word which says what is good and evil; Like Luther who says, “A true theologian calls a thing what it is.”

1:12:21 (question 4): The goodness of God is his presence in every situation, whether it is painful or not; e.g., Joseph (Gen 39) where the only times Scripture mentions when he is prosperous and successful is when he is a slave and is in prison.

1:16:54 (question 5): Do you think some bodies have lost sight of the ending that is why they seem to be focused more on the earthly and enjoying the here and now instead of focusing on where we’re going?

1:19:22 (comment): “The Crunch” then you explode

Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller is pastor of St. Paul and Jesus Deaf Lutheran Churches in Austin, TX. He is the author of Take They Our Life: Martin Luther’s Theology of Martyrdom (2019), A Martyr’s Faith for a Faithless World (CPH, 2019), Has American Christianity Failed? (CPH, 2016) and Final Victory: Contemplating the Death and Funeral of a Christian (CPH, 2010). He is host of What-Not The Podcast, posts videos on YouTube at wolfmueller1, and has a number of other theological projects that all end up on his blog, www.wolfmueller.co. Bryan is a member of the Doxology Collegium. He and his wife Keri live with their four children in Round Rock, TX.

https://wolfmueller.co/

Conference Partners:

Christ the King Lutheran Church, Spencer, IA - Rev. Michael McGinley - www.ctkspencer.com

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Spirit Lake, IA - Rev. Paul Dare - www.lcmslakes.org

First English Lutheran Church, Spencer, IA - Rev. Paul Kaldahl - www.spencer-church.com

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Terril, IA - Rev. Tom Marth - https://lcmsterril.weebly.com

Spencer Circuit of the Iowa District West (LCMS)